Kenosha State of Downtown Report.indd - The Lakota Group

SECTION 2: LAND USE AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS
HISTORIC RESOURCES
Downtown Kenosha has a rich and diverse collection of
historically and architecturally significant resources, including
many outstanding individual examples of commercial and
residential architecture dating from the late 1800’s to the
mid-20th Century – see Figure 2-8. This collection, ranging
from the monumental Classical Revival buildings of the Civic
Center Historic District, to the “high-style” and vernacular
commercial and residential architecture along 3rd, 6th, 7th and
8th Avenues, is a physical testament to the Downtown area’s
economic and social importance during a time when Kenosha
became a leading Midwestern industrial center. In recent
decades, the citizens of Kenosha have taken active measures
to protect and preserve many of Downtown’s significant
historic resources, from the adoption of a historic preservation
ordinance to the designation of four local historic districts and
many individual landmarks.
Today, cities and local communities recognize
that preserving important historic buildings and
sites is an essential component to developing and
maintaining a strong “sense of place”, which is key to
attracting today’s workers and industries in the new
“creative economy”.
Historic commercial districts and neighborhoods also
contribute to a sense of identity, authenticity and community
that other places cannot. Historic preservation is also a key
economic development too to be used to help revitalize cities.
The following section provides an overview and description of
downtown historic districts and significant resources as well as an
assessment of current downtown preservation planning activities.
Reuther Central High School Auditorium - Civic Center Historic District
HISTORIC DISTRICTS
Downtown Kenosha has four City (local) Historic Districts
– Civic Center, Library Park, Third Avenue, and Pearl Street–
comprising approximately 110 commercial and residential
buildings and their associated accessory buildings and
structures. All four districts were established by the City’s
Historic Preservation Commission and Common Council
under the provisions of Section 15 of the City’s Zoning
Ordinance, which outlines the procedures for nominating and
designating historic districts (see below).
Within Section 15, a Historic District is defined as an:
“… area composed of two or more improvement parcels
that together possess special character, historic interest,
aesthetic interest, or other significant value which refl ects the
City’s cultural, social, economic, political, engineering and
architectural history, and which has been designated and
approved as a Historic District pursuant to the provisions of
this Section.”
The overall purpose of establishing historic districts, as
defined in Section 15, is to: “…accomplish the protection,
enhancement, and perpetuation of such historic districts,
structures and sites which exemplify or refl ect elements of the
City’s cultural, social, economic, political, engineering and
architectural history.”
Buildings within a local Historic District are defined under
Section 15 as a “Historic Structure.”
Historic Structures located within City Historic Districts
are subject to design review by the Historic Preservation
Commission for any work involving the construction of new
addition(s) to an existing Historic Structure or new principal
structure or accessory building, demolition of all or part of an
existing Historic Structure, exterior alteration or rehabilitation
work, and any façade cleaning conducted through chemical
or abrasive cleaning methods. Additionally, any public
improvement conducted by any unit of government that
impacts the visual character of a Historic District’s streetscape,
including sidewalks, lighting, walls, or fencing, are also subject
to Commission design review. Projects that are reviewed and
approved by the Commission are then issued a Certificate of
Appropriateness (COA), a permit that is in addition to other
permits that may be required by the City’s Department of
Community Development and Inspection.
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CITY OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN
KENOSHA DOWNTOWN STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PLAN: STATE OF THE DOWNTOWN
LAND USE AND PHYSICAL CONDITIONS